1
as in flinching
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
we quailed when the waiter unexpectedly presented us with a hindquarter of frog's legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quailing
Verb
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Ross passed the day's examination with flying colors, barely flinching at the rubber chicken.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025 -
Skubal, apparently flinching with the noise, balked for only the second time in his career.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Bills can be seen visibly cringing in both clips as the two dancers fall to the ground.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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Pub purists, meanwhile, are cringing.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Americans are recoiling from the Democratic Party, and even in blue states like Colorado, Democrats are feeling the burn.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
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And the supporters who responded to his complaints about overzealous Democrats aren’t recoiling.—
Jonathan J. Cooper,
Twin Cities,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There is a cowering quality to her body, even her voice.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
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As a result, the poor Rottweiler could be seen cowering against the wall and looking incredibly nervous in the cat’s presence.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In that moment, Dupree involuntarily punches him and the pair go quiet as Dooley cusses and bends over wincing in pain.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
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Perhaps tearing originally grew out of a physiological reflex that restored moisture to the eyes and nasal passages after they had been dried out by the pressure of wincing or the hyperventilation of arousal.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
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“Quailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quailing. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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